Taglines: There’s only one way these two are going to get along… the Hard Way.
The Hard Way movie storyline. A serial killer known as the “Party Crasher” (Stephen Lang) telephones the police, notifying them that he is about to murder another individual at a night club, daring them to stop him. Police converge on the night club, but the officers, including tough but cynical NYPD cop Lieutenant John Moss (James Woods), are unable to stop the murder of an innocent person. The Party Crasher flees in the ensuing chaos, and Moss is thrown off a car while trying to stop the killer. While Moss has his injuries tended to, he barks some obscene comments at media members and cameras.
In Hollywood, Nick Lang (Michael J. Fox) is a wealthy, pampered movie star who is best known as “Smoking” Joe Gunn, the title character in a series of highly popular pulp action films (similar to Indiana Jones). In order to be taken more seriously as an actor, he is vying for the leading role in the heavy cop drama Blood on the Asphalt. The producers want Mel Gibson for the role. Nick vows to “prepare” for the role by attempting to be an actual cop.
After seeing Moss’s outburst on TV, Nick pulls strings with NYC Mayor David Dinkins to be assigned as Moss’s new partner on the force. Moss wants no part of the deal, but is forced to comply by his captain (Delroy Lindo), who just happens to be a huge Nick Lang fan. To make matters worse, looking after Nick means that Moss will have to be removed from the Party Crasher case.
Moss defies orders by continuing the investigation anyway and repeatedly trying to ditch Nick, whose constant questions and other annoying habits (such as mimicking all Moss’s movements) frustrate Moss. Nick wants to know what it feels like to be a cop and is quickly thrust forward into some serious situations he is not prepared for, while Moss constantly reminds him that this is not a movie. Meanwhile, as Moss makes progress on finding the Party Crasher, he is also trying to juggle a new romance with Susan (Annabella Sciorra). The divorced Moss is unable to communicate with her or open up, and Nick offers advice to him on how to interact with women.
The Hard Way is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by John Badham, and starring Michael J. Fox and James Woods. Stephen Lang, Annabella Sciorra, Luis Guzmán, LL Cool J, Delroy Lindo, Christina Ricci, Mos Def, Kathy Najimy, Michael Badalucco, and Lewis Black appear in supporting roles.
The Hard Way (1991)
Directed by: John Badham
Starring: Michael J. Fox, James Woods, Stephen Lang, Christina Ricci, Annabella Sciorra, Penny Marshall, John Capodice, Luis Guzmán, Mary Mara, Delroy Lindo
Screenplay by: Daniel Pyne, Lem Dobbs
Production Design by: Philip Harrison
Cinematography by: Donald McAlpine, Robert Primes
Film Editing by: Tony Lombardo, Frank Morriss
Costume Design by: Mary E. Vogt
Set Decoration by: Susan Bode
Art Direction by: John Kasarda
Music by: Arthur B. Rubinstein
MPAA Rating: R for strong language.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: March 8, 1991
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